Bitdefender Internet Security 2016

The main window for Bitdefender Internet Security 2016 retains the familiar grey tones and rectangular buttons. If you leave the product in its default Autopilot mode, you won't be looking at this window much, as the program aims to minimize user interaction.

Clicking a link on the main window slides the Modules view into place. From this window's three pages you can access all of the suite's features. A few are grayed out; those become available in Bitdefender's mega-suite product.

Bitdefender proved very effective in our hands-on tests (antivirus, antiphishing, and antispam) and also in tests by independent antivirus labs.

The firewall component quietly blocked all port scans and other Web-based tests.

While the firewall doesn't attempt network-level detection and blocking of exploit attacks, it prevented access to malicious payloads for quite a few.

The firewall makes its own decisions on what network permissions each program should get. In the unlikely event it's necessary, you can view and change the rules it created automatically.

In testing, Bitdefender's spam filter proved remarkably accurate. The toolbar it installs in supported email clients lets you quickly correct a mis-marked message, or add senders to the whitelist or blacklist.

All configuration of the Parental Advisor system happens in the online Bitdefender Central console. You create entries for your children, identify which devices they use, and configure settings for each.

The online Dashboard for each child gives an overview of recent activity, including blocked content, applications used, and (for Android devices) location.

The Parental Advisor can block access to 42 distinct website categories, over half of which are blocked by default.

When you install Bitdefender's app on your child's Facebook account, it generates a report of privacy threats. You can also view the pages your child has liked, and recent photos.